


we need to feel breathless with love

by cinderlily



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Miscommunication, stupid boys in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 19:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9087373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinderlily/pseuds/cinderlily
Summary: Tyler goes home for break and finds himself alone, which was totally fine. Except it wasn't. Because Tyler and Jamie are like peanut butter and jelly, they go everywhere together.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lecavayay](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lecavayay/gifts).



> Here it is! I hope you like it. <3 You said miscommunication, pining and stupid boys in love and that's pretty much my jam, as are Tyler and Jamie. <3 Happy Hockey Days!

  
_I tried to tell you before I left_  
_But I was screaming under my breath_  
_You are the only thing that makes sense_  
_Just ignore all this present tense_  
_We need to feel breathless with love_  
_And not collapse under its weight_

Snow Patrol - It's Beginning To Get To Me

The first thing that Tyler did when he got home to Canada was go to his childhood bedroom, flip onto his bed and stare at the ceiling. It had been a tradition so far back that his sisters and his mom kind of stood back from the door to let him have his ‘moment’. It was amazing how the bed seemed to shrink. He hadn’t gotten that much taller. 

“Hey, Ty,” Candace said from the doorway. “Are we allowed to to hug you are you still doing your usual moment with Jaromir?” 

He looked over and cursed. One day he was taking that damn poster down. It was just… weird. He played him the _week_ before. That flow though. 

Tyler pushed himself up and strode across the room to give each of his sisters’ tight hugs, and his mom a bear hug that elicited an annoyed groan followed by a stream of curse words that would make a sailor blush. He love his family. They were kind of the best. 

“So, where is my other son?” his mom asked, looking around like Jamie would somehow have hidden himself in the 8x8 room they were standing in. Tyler shuffled from one foot to the other. 

“Um, he’s not coming?” 

There was a sudden thwap to the back of his head, one he couldn’t put on either of his sisters but if by the self satisfied look on Cass’ face was any indication it was her. Or both.

“Tyler Paul, what did you _do_?” his mom said.

He frowned. “Why did it have to be _me_? Did you ever think that it could be Jamie?” 

A chorus of three “No”s made him mentally retract the whole loving his family the way he did thing. He grimaced. He’d had delusions that they would just not bring it up. Jamie didn’t ALWAYS come back with him on their breaks, not that there were many. Sometimes they went to his place. Okay… that was a they. 

“He wanted some time with his family and I wanted time with mine,” Tyler said. Which, to be fair, was half the truth. The fact that they wanted time apart was the other half that would hopefully stay hidden for a while. 

It was amicable, but it wasn’t a break up. They’d just … agreed to go to opposite sides of Canada for five days to let themselves breath, and by agreed he meant Jamie told him he was going to see his family and told him to say hi to his mom. Which was a totally normal thing that couples did after dating for four years. Not that Tyler knew what normal for couples lasting longer than four MONTHS had been before Jamie but whatever. It was normal. 

He’d let himself be morose on the plane, drinking a glass of whiskey at thirty five thousand feet and looking out the window thinking about having to split up their stuff. Picturing Cash and Marshall whining every time he came home without Jamie. 

BUT. He was home and he was not going to let Jamie take away his five days with his family. It was one of the few times he was allowed to spend time with them and he’d been looking forward to it all the way till he was told he was doing it solo. 

“Tyler.” Fingers snapped in front of his face. It was Cassidy again and really, when did she get so freaking grown up? It was crazy. 

“What?” 

She frowned at him. “This is a face in need of cookies, dude. Come on. I think we might have chocolate chips.” 

He followed his sisters and mom down, because he knew if he stayed up to mope it would just make it even more impossible to explain to them that it was amicable and that they weren’t breaking up. The staircase went straight to the kitchen, so he only was a few steps behind them, yet by the time he got TO the kitchen it was like a baking show had taken over. 

“Were you planning this?” 

“No, dinkus,” Candace sighed. “But your b— Jamie likes cookies. We were going to be nice.” 

Tyler crossed his arms. “You can still call him my boyfriend, Candy Cane.” 

“Don’t call me that,” she sighed. “If we can still call him your boyfriend why did you go all catatonic when we asked what had happened?” 

There were three options here. One, lie to his family. Which was a stupid stupid option. Two, tell them the truth and risk pity. Or three, just let them assume he was an asshole and take their wrath. 

The way of pity would bring him cookies, so he swallowed and rolled his eyes. “Okay. I didn’t do anything.” 

“Uh-huh,” Cassidy said, from the fridge. 

“No, I didn’t!” he called back at her. He went into his story of how much he hadn’t been doing. How _well_ the two of them had been doing. Like crazy well. They’d been doing well on ice, sure, but at home it was like they had a rhythm going. They were happy, right? They even hung out with the Sharps like a normal couple does. They had _couple_ friends. 

“And then BOOM,” Tyler said. “Two weeks ago I asked him if he wanted to leave early or late and he said he was going back to the backwoods of Canada to be with his family and peace out have a fun fucking time with your family.”

Candace, the only one sitting at the table with him, gave him a long hard look. He wanted to point out that even if he was lying she was horrible at his poker face but rather he just let her look. 

“And then?”

He blinked at her. “And when?” 

“Well, you said that was two weeks ago. What happened in the last two weeks?” Candace said, a heavily implied ‘duh’.

He looked back over the last two weeks. They had had a run, a real run, and it was tiring. But they’d been fighting for first place so most of the time was spent focusing on that. The nights had been weird, though not empty or anything. They weren’t like sex monsters during the middle to end of the season but they’d had sex once, not telling family that, but Jamie had seemed… Cagey. 

“Jamie was Jamie. He was a little hyper focused on Captainship, but you know that’s Jamie,” he thought. “At home things were pretty normal. He seemed anxious sometimes. Like, ‘early morning running Cash’ anxious?” 

All the girls gave a group hum. He’d been pretty used to being the sole guy in his house, on the occasions his mom wasn’t dating or serious with a guy. But even then, the overwhelming feeling had been he was swimming in a sea of estrogen and frankly he didn’t care that much except for their weird occasional silent talks. 

He supposed had he been around more in his teen years he might have been able to join in on some of those talks but if wishes were horses and all that. Plus he liked what all his hard work had gotten him. 

He let them _not_ talk for a minute, focusing on the cell phone he had swiped out of his pocket. He’d half hoped for a ‘LANDED!’ or ‘SAFE!’ but had gotten neither. Because he was kind of a petty fuck he sent one to Jamie instead, though he knew Jamie had to have landed hours before him. They couldn’t even share a ride to the damn airport Jamie left so early. 

“Okay, Tyler,” Candace turned back around. “Put your phone down?” 

“We’re going to talk about phones?” Tyler shot back, giving a pointed look at the brightly blinged out iPhone that was less than a foot away from his sister at all times.

She stuck her tongue out at him. “You know I am all about family when I’m in the house.” 

“You have shitty reception in the house,” he muttered. 

“Children!” his mom called out. “Focus.” 

Candace rolled her eyes and looked back at Tyler. “Okay. Tyler. We need to have a talk about whether or not you and Jamie have had _the talk_.” 

“Well, Candace,” he said, saying his words slowly. “When a bee and a bee love each other very much…” 

“Ew, gross, no, not at all,” his sister yelled and covered her ears. “We are not swapping any stories…” 

He paused. “Swapping stories?!” 

“She meant the marriage talk, Ty, MARRIAGE,” his mother jumped in, almost literally, a spatula in her hand. 

He made a face. “We’re two pretty well known players in the NHL, we can’t exchange rings and expect it not to … I don’t know. Fuck everything up.” 

Another round of ‘hmmm’s and he was feeling like he might actually just take a break and go to the nearest beer store cause this might be a long day. 

“Have you talked about your future then?” 

This time he hummed back at them. “Well, Lord Stanley’s cup, a couple times, become a dynasty and play at _least_ to Jagr retires.” 

“Well no wonder Jamie traveled to the other side of the country, you’ve been back an hour and I want you back in Texas,” Candace said. 

“Hey,” Tyler and his mom said at the same time. 

Candace sighed. “Sorry, Ty. Just. Four years? You’ve been together four years. I mean, I get you were 23 when you started dating but he was not and now you are 27 and he’s in his thirties and marriage is kind of a _thing_. Commitment.” 

_What the fuck?_

His mom sat down next to him. “Listen, not to make it awkward but there is only so much time that you guys can … play house before you it doesn’t feel so playful.” 

“We’re not playing house!” Tyler said, much louder than he’d probably should have to his mom. She looked at him like he’d grown a second head. “Okay, yeah, there isn’t a ring or anything. But we live together. Share bills, share dogs, share rides to the arena. We go on _couple dates_.” 

Cass chimed in, the cookies obviously in the oven. “The house is in his name right? And if you broke up you’d just move out with the dogs. Are any of the bills in your name?” 

He wanted to snap at her, or yell. She was being completely beyond mean but …truthful. They had kept their life balanced and separated for the purpose of media attention, or at least that was what they had always claimed it to be. They hadn’t really needed the specific reasons for it at the beginning. Neither of them were that serious, they were young and happy. 

Then again that was… four years ago. 

“Well, we … talk about the future?” he said. 

Because they did. If only in the hypothetical mostly. But when things popup it is always an assumption they’d be there even when it was longer out. They’d talked the month before about going to Jamie’s cousin’s wedding, which was the next summer. 

They’d talked about traveling around Europe. About exploring one summer, when he wasn’t playing in Worlds. They even talked about getting a place by a lake in Canada, though they fought on which side it would be. He was not sure if that meant anything, really. But it was.. something. 

He explained it to his family, who looked at him with the same exact look of consideration on their face. Genetics seriously were weird. 

“What?” he asked, finally, when the silence made him want to scream. 

“Nothing,” his mom said. “We’ll eat cookies and watch Goon. Sound good?” 

He was going to say that sounded suspiciously like moping but if his mom wasn’t going to call it that and his siblings were going to save it to saying behind his back, he wouldn’t say it. He just nodded and let the smell of chocolate chips fill the room. 

* 

Goon was, as usual, freaking awesome. He was so psyched for the second one to come out, even if it was just to kind of throw in the other guys' faces. He laughed like he always did when his sister pointed out that LaFlamme seemed like Kris Letang, because somehow she forgets every single time. It was kind of a relief. 

Granted his phone was at his side for the entire movie, with only one text from Brownie telling him that he was beginning to think his Wife didn’t love him anymore. He didn’t text back for many reasons, but mostly because he was not in the mood to be silly with Brownie about marriage in particular. 

The sun was just going down when the movie ended, which really didn’t mean much. It just meant it was just past 4:30 in Canada in Winter. But he had hoped he’d have gotten a phone call sometime in the daylight. Or a text. Hell, even a shout out on Twitter would have probably made him feel much better. 

“Seriously, stop with the face,” Candace said. “You’re making me feel bad for you and that makes me feel weird sister feelings. You know I hate that.” 

Tyler exaggerated his pouty lip and batted his eyes. “Just because the man I love is halfway across the country possibly thinking of ways to break up with me…” 

Wait. 

That sounded better in his head. He gave up on the fake pout and just looked back at his phone. He opened up his FitBit app, but even THAT Jamie hadn’t checked in. A thought flickered in his head. He opened the news app, typed in “Downed Canadian flight” and held his breath until nothing showed up. He didn’t even have the flight number. Usually, they exchanged that if they traveled without each other. 

He flipped his head back against the couch. 

“Okay,” Candace said, and she sounded pretty serious. “I’m saying this one time, so get with it big brother. You are one of the few people I love in this world, and I know I just said that so deal with it. Jamie loves you, I know it, I don’t know why he does, but he is goofy head over heels for you. His stupid doe eyes are impossible to miss when he sees you.

“So maybe he’s mad. Maybe he’s hurt. Or confused. Hell, maybe he’s just pissed as fuck because you keep throwing clothes on the floor. I don’t know. But you are a good person, Ty. And he is a good person. And it’s been four years, he isn’t going to flush that down the toilet, and most definitely if you fight for it. So be a Goon here. _Fight for it_.” 

Tyler turned his head and looked at her, blinking. That was possibly the nicest thing she’d said to him in years. They said nice things to each other but not in general direct ways. Mostly in the side compliment way, or in text. 

“Thanks, Candace,” he said. “That’s really sweet.” 

“ _Gay porn hard_ ,” she said, and winked at him. He leaned over and gave her a hug that ended in a noogie. “Ow, dude. I was being sentimental.” 

He let her go and pulled back. “Well, what do I do?” 

“First off? We call him. Then we call his brother. Then, when both those fail, we get you a plane ticket to Victoria, heaven help you.” 

He unlocked his phone and hit Jamie’s number. It rang three times and then went to the familiar message. 

“ _Hey, it’s Jamie. Leave a message or text me._ ” 

“Okay, I don’t know what I did, but I’d really like to talk to you as soon as possible. So like. Answer your damn phone, Benn.” 

Candace nudged him. “Height of romance, Ty.” 

“He’s the one not answering my call!” Tyler frowned. 

“Try Jordie. Was he going up for the break?” 

To be honest, he had no idea. He gave a noncommittal noise and hit the button of Jordie’s freshly shaved face that would NEVER get old. It rang once before he answered, thank gd. 

“JORDIE!” 

“Dude, yelling, why?” Jordie whined. 

Tyler rolled his eyes. Jordie naps were supposedly holy, not to be bothered. Today he didn’t care. “Where are you?” 

“Uh. Home.” 

“Specifics, Jords. Which home?” 

Jordie’s phone made a noise, kind of crinkly and then he heard muttering on the phone. “I’m in Victoria.” 

“Is Jamie there?” he said, his voice low. “Cause if he is I am going to need to have some words with him. He hasn’t answered a text or a phone call all freaking day and I am only meant to be the anxious one when it comes to actual fights, now when I am not sure of his safety. He hasn’t even checked in on FitBit and that isn’t Jamie at all…” 

Jordie made a noise to interrupt him. “Yo, Seguin, breathe. He isn’t here right now. But I can tell you he is safe and that you don’t have to worry about it.” 

“Are you kidding me? I’m coming out,” he said, and flinched a little at the choice of words. “I’m finding the next flight to Victoria.” 

“DON’T,” Jordie said, startling Tyler. 

A part of his chest tightened. “Why not?” 

“Just, uh. Tomorrow morning. Come tomorrow afternoon? Don’t get on a flight tonight.” 

Tyler wasn’t having that. “Why the hell not? He can’t outrun me, we’re on the same damn team. In four days he’ll HAVE to face me.” 

“Tomorrow, Tyler. Just, give it till tomorrow.” 

“Let me talk to him,” Candace said and grabbed the phone before Tyler had a chance to actually say something like, ‘No’. She started talking seated right next to him but then gave him a look when she realized he could clearly hear anything Jordie said. “Your stupid brother made my stupid brother mope. Like full on cookies and Goon mope.” 

Tyler’s eyes went wide, Jordie did NOT need that level of information about him. That was like. Way beyond what he was okay with any player on his team to know. He was pretty much now going to be chirp bait for weeks. 

“Yeah, well if … wait… hold on…” she looked back at Tyler then stepped from the living room into the kitchen. 

“Are you kidding me? That’s MY PHONE,” he called after her, but he didn’t get nor expect a response. He exhaled slowly and wondered if he should take up Toews’ offer to teach him Yoga. 

Whatever, it would mean him relaxing. 

Candace came back in the room, her poor poker face firmly in place and handed him the phone. She’d already hung up on Jordie. 

“There is a 2:10 to Victoria,” she said, calmly. “You are not going to leave any earlier than that. Got me?” 

“You’re going to take Jamie’s side? Have you no loyalty?” Tyler said, hand to his chest. “I got you a new laptop for social media-ing…” 

“I don’t think that’s a word,” she shook her head. “And there aren’t sides in this circumstance, capiche?” 

Tyler dug himself into the couch. “Next year you get a really cheap toaster. I mean, it’s either going to burn your toast or do nothing at all.” 

Candace leaned over and kissed her brother on his cheek. “No, you won’t, you box of tools.” 

* 

He was curled on his side the next morning, half asleep, the light from his window hitting him in just the wrong way to not let him get fully asleep. The door to his room opened and he folded his pillow over his ears. 

“I’m dead, leave me alone,” he muttered, though fair bet being it was his mother and that was not doing anything to help him. 

Except… a body slipped behind him that was most definitely not his mother’s. Or either of his sisters’. He knew the body quite well, and even though his bed was only a double and not meant for two hockey players to lay in, he rolled over and frowned. 

“What are you doing here?” 

“Well, I was going to go to a hotel but your sister is pretty freaking persuasive,” Jamie gave a half smile. “She offered cookies. I can’t resist Seguin cookies.” 

Tyler felt his face contort. “Let’s never talk about my sister’s cookies ever again.” 

Jamie grimaced. “Not what I meant…” 

“I meant, _here_ , fucker. You are supposed to be in Victoria chilling with the family,” Tyler sounded a little more bitter than necessary talking about the Benns. He liked them. He _loved_ them.

“Eh, they are only part of my family,” he said with a mischievous smile. 

Tyler was not awake enough to process anything beyond the fact that the guy who he wanted to punch yesterday was there, in front of him. With his smarmy smile and mussed up hair. He glared. “I’m mad at you.” 

“Yeah,” Jamie said, holding up his phone. “I can tell. Though, I was on an airplane. I wasn’t able to actually respond to you. I was on a plane almost all of yesterday.” 

Blinking and shaking his head back and forth he put a palm in one of his eyes and sat up straighter. “Jamie. What the fuck?” 

“Catching on quick there, Tyler?” 

He shoved at Jamie. “Dude. What are you doing here?” 

“This is feeling really circular, man,” Jamie laughed. “I’m here for _you_.” 

“You aren’t making sense,” Tyler pointed out. 

Jamie shoved at Tyler. “Get up and dressed, breakfast on the table.” 

“What time is it?” He rolled over and looked at the clock. It was just past seven am. His family wasn’t known for being early risers when they didn’t have to be. “Did you wake my mom up to make us breakfast?” 

“No, I’m not a jerk, _I_ made breakfast,” Jamie sighed and got a Captain tone to his voice. “Get up, Seguin.” 

* 

He might have deliberately taken as long as he thought he could get away with to get himself dressed and downstairs because he was feeling kind of like a brat at that exact moment. When he got downstairs, though, his mom _was_ there, seated beaming at him. 

“Found your man, huh?” his mom said. 

He stuck out his tongue. “My man? You’ve been reading bodice rippers again?” 

“” _Your boyfriend_ ’ makes you sound like you’re sixteen, dear,” she said, sappy sweet. She gave him a wink and blew him a kiss. “Plus, Jamie could be on the cover of one of my bodice rippers.” 

“ _Mom, really?_ ” He asked though he did like the fact that when he looked at Jamie he was bright red from ear to ear. 

Jamie looked like he forgot what he was doing for a second but then seemed to get his head on. “I made pancakes?” 

“Fill me up, dude. We even have the real maple stuff, I saw it yesterday when I was looking for pity food.” 

“Pity food?” 

Tyler cocked an eyebrow. “No judgment.” 

Jamie shrugged and put his hands out. “You know I was only out of contact for like eight hours, right? I didn’t move to the Bahamas or some shit… sorry, Mom.”

“It’s okay Jamie,” she smiled. “I’m just glad you’re here.” 

“Why don’t I get that same rule?” 

His mom raised an eyebrow. “Because you didn’t make me pancakes.” 

He frowned at her, but tucked into the pancakes which were familiar and good. He liked when Jamie actually cooked. Also, it was kind of fun to watch Jamie still be blushing about the Bodice Ripper thing.

*

Hours later he found himself back in his bedroom, lying on his bed with a slumbering partner.

Jamie sleeping was one of Tyler’s favorite creepy indulgences. He couldn’t help himself, the dude was freaking hot as hell and he was _his_. It was kind of nice to just get a chance to watch the guy and not worry he was going to notice and get all flushed (though that had it’s advantages). 

He’d flown who knew how many hours the day before, Tyler couldn’t imagine how jet lagged he was. But in the long run it was nice just to have him nearby. Even if he was still pretty confused as to what the hell the guy was doing there. 

“You’re doing it, aren’t you?” Jamie slurred, opening one eye. “Caught you.” 

“What?” 

Jamie nudged at him. “I was napping, weirdo.” 

“Whatever, I like to enjoy when you aren’t annoying me, so sue me.” 

Jamie pulled himself up onto his elbows. “Annoying you, huh?” 

“Totally man, all the time,” he winked at him. 

“Y’all are nauseating.” 

They both jerked their head to the door. 

“Candace, get out.” 

“Mom wanted Jamie to know that she was ready.” 

Tyler frowned at his sister. “For what?” 

She just shrugged and walked off. 

“I’m still gonna sell you to the circus!” he screamed, a threat he’d made since he was seven. He turned to Jamie. “What does she mean ready?” 

Jamie wasn’t looking him in the eye. “Give me… two minutes. Okay?” 

“Jamie, what the hell?” Tyler asked, frowning as he got up from the bed and looked in the mirror to check his stupid faux-hawk. Tyler went to get out of bed as well but Jamie put a hand out. 

“Two minutes,” Jamie said, tentative smile. “Be right back.” 

Tyler sat up and against the headboard, just resisting crossing his arms in what would most definitely be a huff. Instead, he fidgeted with his phone, cycling through his apps like one of them would magically be found interesting rather than boring and mundane. Even his Candy Crush was just annoying him. 

When, _way more than two minutes later_ , Jamie walked back in, he looked green around the gills. 

“You okay?” Tyler asked, mostly concerned. “You look like you might upchuck and I only have carpet.” 

Jamie looked at him, swallowed and then looked away. He wouldn’t have flown out here and been on good terms with his family if he was going to break up with him but the whole thing didn’t settle right with him. Tyler flipped his legs over the bed. 

“Jamie,” he said slowly. 

“Stay seated,” Jamie snapped, then closed his eyes for a second and reopened them. “Sorry. Um. Please, stay seated.”

It was too formal for Jamie but Tyler sat back down. He would hear him out if he wanted to. 

“Okay, you’re really freaking me out, Benn,” Tyler informed him. 

“Sorry Seggy,” Jamie said, which was much more Jamie and a little calming actually. “I just am trying to figure out the right way to say this.” 

Tyler’s stomach dropped. “Say **what**?” 

“I had this whole speech planned, you know? It’s really easy to think of a speech when you’re on a plane for like eight hundred hours. So I had a speech and it was written out and it was good. But it wasn’t _right_ and when I read it to my brother he called me a freak, which I guess was his way of protecting me but…” 

“Jamie.” 

Jamie inhaled. “Sorry. Okay. I flew to Victoria yesterday to talk to my mom about something important and then I flew here to talk to _your_ mom about something important. And now I have to tell you.” 

“I’m just honored to be on the list,” he chirped. 

“We’ve been living together for four years,” he said, steadily saying the words like it was on some sort of teleprompter. “And we can’t like, get married because the IIHL and NHL are about as backward as fuck…” 

Tyler blinked. His minute ago fleeting thought that this couldn’t be a break up was kind of being tested. His heartbeat was getting a little too fast and he felt himself gripping onto the edge of the bed. “We don’t have to get married…” 

“But I _want_ to get married,” Jamie burst out. “I mean. I want to get married to you. I wish we could’ve gotten married yesterday but apparently that would be difficult to explain to people and to keep quiet, according to my agent.” 

“You talked to your agent about this?” Tyler was officially confused. “Jamie, what the hell?” 

Jamie pulled something out of his jean pocket and fiddled with it. “I talked to my agent about it. And my mom, and your mom. And I got my great grandpa’s ring because I wanted to ask you. Like I want you to know this is real.” 

“Holy fuck.” The words fell out of his mouth. The ring was simple and white and pretty thin but it was a _ring_. “Are you…” 

Jamie smiled at him and knelt down. “Tyler Paul Seguin. Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me?” 

“But the NHL and the IIHL?” he asked dumbly. 

“We’ll do the actual marriage part when we win a ring or something and they can’t fight us as hard,” Jamie shrugged but then offered the ring again. “Do you want to?” 

He got off the bed and knelt too, cause he had like rules in his head about this shit and they were on equal footing. “Hell yeah, Jamie Benn. You are stuck with me for much longer than a lifetime.” 

Jamie’s face practically split with his smile. “Good.” 

Tyler pulled him in for a deep kiss. The ring didn’t quite fit on his ring finger, but it did fit on his middle finger, perfect just below the knuckle. They could get it refit, right? 

“I don’t have a ring for you,” Tyler said, guiltily. 

“Funny story,” Jamie said, digging around in his other pocket. “I told your mom my plan and she informed me that her grandfather had had a ring…” 

He actually remembered the ring, and the sight of it brought back a flood of memories of his childhood. Of his mom bringing it out and showing it to him. It was white gold, thick and had a design in the center. It was also, huge. Apparently, his great grandpa was a big man, though he’d only met him maybe twice when he was an infant. He held the ring that Jamie had handed him. 

“So?” Jamie said, looking a little nervous. 

_Oh_ , Tyler’s brain came back online. He let out a laugh. “Anxious much?” 

“Maybe I want to say no,” Jamie frowned. 

“You know you’re all about me,” Tyler winked. But then he took a breath and thought about it. “Jamie Randolph, I don’t care about the IIHL, I don’t care about the NHL, I swear I’ve been married to you since we moved in. Since the second you started calling Cash and Marshall your kids too. So, we can make it official whenever. You want to be my husband right now?”

Jamie quirked an eyebrow. “How does that work?” 

“You promise not to leave me? Even if I’m being an ass and you want to gut punch me?” 

“Have I left you yet?” 

Tyler tilted his head. “None answer, Benn.” 

“Yes, of course I’ll never leave. You know how long I was on an airplane for you?” 

He beamed. “Okay, good. I’ll never leave you, even when you don’t tell me shit and I freak out that you’re mad at me about something. I’ll just poke at you till you use your damn words.” 

Jamie blinked at him. “Ooookay.” 

“Well, marry me?” 

This time Jamie beamed. “Yes.” 

Tyler slipped the ring onto Jamie’s right ring finger where it fit pretty perfectly. 

“Married.” 

“Not exactly how it works, Seguin.” 

Tyler kissed him, softly. “Next summer we’ll have a huge party. Not tell anyone what it’s about. Paperwork can wait. We’re married. No take backs.” 

“Well, if the ‘No take back rules’ are invoked,” Jamie said sarcastically. “Nerd.” 

“And yet you married me,” Tyler teased, pulling Jamie down and onto the bed next to him. 

Jamie went willingly, kissing him pretty hard. “And I’ll marry you again.” 

Tyler opened his eyes just long enough to remember, once again, he _really_ needed to get rid of that Jaromir poster.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for the beta LuciFern. <3


End file.
